Editing Poker

[[File:LowerDecksPoker.jpg|350px|right]]

'''Poker''' is ''the'' traditional <s>American</s> internationally played [[Card Games|card game]], predating [[Richard Garfield]]'s skinny ass by about a century and a half. It has recently seen a revival with the advent of televised '''Texas Hold 'Em''' variant poker matches, so much so that skilled players are forming leagues and gaining sponsorship.

Poker has about a fuckton of variations, but the most common are '''Texas Hold 'Em''' and '''Five-Card Draw'''.

If you don't know what this is, then odds are you're housed under a rock of substantial size. If you're simply not sure how it's played on the other hand... well, explanations are as widespread as the game itself, such that explaining it here wouldn't make much difference anyway.  So instead of explaining how to play the game, we'll explain what it's actually about.

In a word, psychology.  Since poker is always played with a pool of winnings (of some sort) the game is basically about psychology with a little bit of statistics.  Since everyone more or less understands the basic likelihood and strength of hands, the real game is about perceiving and interpreting how a player is behaving.  Variations on the game adjust the amount of information and agency a player has over hands (drawing, hole cards, community cards, wilds, etc).  It's possible to play poker completely "stud", where you have what you were dealt and that's that, and in that flavor the entirety of the game hinges on the player's ability to perceive and deceive.  

Because of this, while poker is indelibly associated with casinos, it's not a game that houses actually play, instead organizing tournaments pitting players against players (usually for a cut of the buy-in).   

{{Card Games}}
[[Category: Card Games]]